Russian President Vladimir Putin assured Thursday that “the military operation” in Ukraine was taking place “according to plan”, hammering there to fight “neo-Nazis” to save Russians and Ukrainians, who according to him form “one people “.
“The special military operation is going strictly according to schedule, according to plan,” Putin told Russian television on the eighth day of the invasion of Ukraine and during a meeting of his Security Council. .
Hailing the “courage” of the Russian soldiers, whom he described as “true heroes”, Mr. Putin assured that they “are fighting steadfastly with a full understanding of the rightness of their cause”.
“I will not abandon the belief that Russians and Ukrainians are one people,” he said.
The Russian president announced financial compensation to Russian soldiers killed or injured in Ukraine, but also to those who are still deployed there.
Russia said on Wednesday that 498 Russian soldiers had been killed and 1,597 others injured.
Mr Putin hailed their “valuable fight against neo-Nazis” and “foreign mercenaries” who use civilians as “human shields”.
Kiev claims that at least 350 civilians were killed in the Russian invasion.
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